Harry Potter and Wal(de)Mart

Discount retailer Wal-Mart today announced it is encouraging its more than 1 million blue-vested employees to sign a pledge, vowing not to reveal how Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ends after the book comes out July 21. Customers can sign the pledge, too, by following this link.

Here's the pledge:

There's plenty of excitement brewing,
As the final chapter draws near;
But hearing the story's end from others,
Is what magicals and muggles all fear;
So at Wal-Mart worldwide we've decided,
To make a pledge to our customers that's clear,
We'll keep silent on what we discover July 21,
So you buy without fear of reveal here.

By the way, Wal-Mart will be one of the stores peddling the book right at midnight July 21. Look for a comprehensive list of midnight parties and other Potter-related events in an upcoming issue of The Post-Standard.